BULL HEALTH

Why it’s important

Bulls have a very significant influence on a healthy, productive and profitability herd. The average cow will produce 5–10 progeny in a lifetime in the commercial herd while the bull may produce 120–150 progeny in four to five years in its working life1.

Bulls must be sound for breeding:

willing and able to serve a high percentage of cows on heat

free of any abnormalities of the penis, testicles, feet and legs

Research conducted in Victoria demonstrated bulls were unsound for a range of reasons which increased with increasing bull age2,3.

A total of 25.2% of 2085 bulls over 3 years of age were unsound for breeding, of which3:

7. Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries, 2006. Management of bulls at mating. Available from http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/beef-and-sheep/beef/breeding/management-of-bulls-at-breeding, accessed April 2013.